Happily Ever After
by hiddeninthedarknessofdaylight
Summary: <html><head></head>Finding your place in the world isn't always easy - and life has a habit of not turning out the way you thought it would - as Rapunzel and Eugene are about to find out. Post-movie. Please Review!</html>
1. The Tear Heals

As Eugene's eyes closed, Rapunzel's heart broke. There was nothing she could do; for the first time in her life, Rapunzel felt completely powerless. There was no magic hair that could bring him back to her, no second chance later, no new argument she could make. And so, she did the one thing she could do – she held him in her arms, pulled him close to her, and wept. Her slim fingers traced the lines of his face, tangled themselves in his thick hair. But the overwhelming sense of helplessness was too much for her to handle. Without hope, she recited the now useless words of the incantation she'd sung since the day she'd learned to speak.

Her voice, once strong and pure, sounded dim and broken to her ears, but she didn't care. The weak, hesitant sound echoed her abrupt uncertainty as to what her life would hold. Though she'd known him only for a few short days, Rapunzel couldn't bring herself to imagine a world without the dashing young thief – _her_ dashing young thief. He was her lifeline to the universe outside the walls of her prison, tethering and pulling her into a life she'd never known. More than all of that, he was the dream she'd never realize – the life she would never have. And every fiber of her being ached for him, willed him to open his eyes and hold her in his arms.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rapunzel watched a golden spark jump from the lifeless form in her arms. Green eyes instantly wide with amazement, she pulled her face away from Eugene's still-warm flesh, barely comprehending what she was seeing. Shining, golden tendrils of light burst from the wound in the thief's side to fill the room. Hoping against hope, Rapunzel simply prayed. _Oh please, let it be true._ A flower of light bloomed from the blood-soaked fabric of Eugene's vest, releasing a small gust of wind that brushed the short brown strands of the girl's hair from her eyes.

All at once, the light began to fade and recede into the wound that had stolen away Rapunzel's happiness. And the girl's chest began to swell with an unbelievable hope. She reached to smooth away Eugene's hair from his face, hastily brushing away her own in the process. A small, worried frown tugged at the corner of her mouth. Maybe it hadn't worked.

"Eugene?" she called softly, barely trusting herself to speak. Maybe one last miracle was too much to hope for – too much to ask for. Who was she to cheat death now that the sun's gift was gone? She was just another person – nothing special. And normal people don't get to have the people they love come back to life just because they want them to.

But she held her breath and hoped just the same. Her heart could have burst when her call was answered by a weak cough from the heaving chest she held in her arms. His eyelids fluttered open. _Please let this be real. Oh God please._

"Rapunzel?" His voice was soft and held a note of confusion. But as his brown gaze met her emerald stare, he let relief sweep over his strengthening frame. Life trickled back into his limbs, and all he could think about was the woman hovering above him. Had it only been three days?

Those brilliant green eyes brimmed with disbelieving tears. "Eugene?" she asked again, not daring to believe that it was true. She had to be dreaming. This wasn't possible. But there he was smiling up at her, a hint of a smirk pulling at his lips.

"Have I ever told you I've got a thing for brunettes?"

Rapunzel just laughed – a musical, sweet sound of pure joy. This was real. _Her_ Eugene. Her dream. His playful smirk grew into a full fledged grin as Rapunzel launched herself at the man on the floor. He sat up and twisted to catch her, burying his face in her shoulder and breathing her in. Not even Heaven could have compared. He was alive. And the girl of his dreams was in his arms. Death could never have managed to keep him away anyway.

Rapunzel pulled away, her face glowing with radiant joy, mirroring the emotions filling the thief to the brim. Without warning, she grabbed the collar of his vest and pulled him into a kiss, letting her lips convey what words could not. The feeling of her lips against hers was perfect bliss, and he cradled her head and deepened that glorious kiss, needing to feel her against him. In that sweet moment of perfection, they knew that they could never be apart again.


	2. And Then That Moment Ended

Eugene was still exploring the glorious curves of Rapunzel's slim form when an all-too familiar set of clacking noises reached his ears. He reacted instantly, rolling away so that Rapunzel was safely behind him and springing into a low crouch, being sure to keep the chain attached to his wrist as loose as possible. He wouldn't have much freedom of movement, but at least he would have a little bit. He heard Rapunzel gasp behind him as she caught up with what was going on. Eugene did his best not to look at the crossbow bolt aimed at his face and focused his eyes on the armored guard holding the weapon, a triumphant gleam in the man's hardened gaze.

"Captain!" the man called over his shoulder towards the loose tile in the floor. "Captain, he's here! I found Rider!" He was answered by the sound of booted feet sprinting up the worn stairs. Rider's heart sank. He should have known better than to think he had gotten away from the hangman's noose so easily.

A familiar man in golden-colored armor emerged from the floor, sword drawn and ebony eyes furious and tired. "Damn you, Rider. Couldn't just accept your punishment, could you? Had to lead us on another chase." The captain of the guard pulled himself up to the floor, allowing a sudden flow of soldiers. Rupunzel had never had so many people in her tower; she was surprised they all fit. "And I guess we can add murder to your list of crimes. Lucky we made it here to see that old woman fall out the window."

Rapunzel furrowed her eyebrows in protest and opened her mouth to speak, but Eugene put one hand behind his back to signal off her verbal attack. "Wonder how I pulled that one off, seeing as how I'm chained to a pillar and all," he quipped, holding up his shackled right arm as evidence.

"I guess you'll just have to explain that one to the King. I'm no judge." He waved his men forward. "Take him, men. Make sure you get his feet, too, this time. He won't be running away from us this time."

"Wait!" shouted Rapunzel, only to have her voice drowned out by creaking armor and clinking chains as Eugene struggled against his captors. The men ignored her entirely, not even caring to notice the heaps of dark brown hair they were stepping on to get to the man who'd saved her life. They clapped another set of shackles onto the thief's wrists before finding Gothel's key on the dresser. Rider managed to kick a guard squarely in the jaw, momentarily stunning him. But one man in chains was no match for six trained soldiers working together – even if that one man was Flynn Rider. The guards soon had their prisoner hoisted into the air and were carrying him forcibly towards the exit, despite the girl's protests.

Rapunzel watched helplessly for a moment before something in her heart hardened. She looked around the room, looking for anything useful and finding nothing. Her frying pan was upstairs in her bedroom – she'd never make it in time. But she had to do something! It didn't even matter if they arrested her, too. She'd already spent eighteen years of her life in a stone prison – what else could they do to her? It was then that she heard a distinctive reptilian chirp coming from the windowsill. She glanced over to see a wide-eyed Pascal, pointing desperately to the floor.

The floor. What was special about the floor? Other than there was a hole in it where Eugene was going to get dragged through in a moment, of course. She looked back to Pascal with a panicked question in her eyes. _What about it?_

He pointed one green digit towards her head and then back to the floor, gesturing wildly. Her hair! Of course! The brown locks were everywhere, and one end of it was lying near Rapunzel's feet. It wasn't attached to her anymore, but it sure as hell wasn't useless. And Rapunzel knew how to handle it.

Without a moment's hesitation, she reached down and grabbed it off the stone tiles, pulling the makeshift rope tight around the ankles of the men stepping on and through it. Everyone in the room, excepting Rapunzel and the Captain, who was standing close enough to the wall to not be in danger of the silky strands, fell to the floor. Eugene landed on top and rolled away. With his feet tied, however, he wasn't going to get up very quickly. So he inched himself away towards the angry woman near the window.

"I said WAIT!" she shouted in her fury at the dazed men on the floor, locking her blazing emerald gaze upon the stunned captain of the guard standing across from her. "And you _will_ listen to me, damn it," she finished, using a phrase she'd picked up from the thugs at the Snuggly Duckling. She hoped she'd used it right.

The captain seemed to remember himself all at once. "Get up men! You're not going to be bested by this bitch!" Eugene stiffened and turned murderous eyes on the offending man. "Get up! NOW!"

The men on the floor began to stir and push themselves up, only to have Rapunzel tug her hair tight around their ankles again. A few of them groaned aloud as their faces fell flat against the stone for the second time. "If you say one more word that I don't like, I will hang your men out the window by their ankles. You will follow them shortly afterwards. That is a _promise_, Captain, not a threat. I swear to you I will do it. And you will not stop me. Do you understand, Captain?"

The Captain was too stunned to speak, but his head, unbeknownst to his brain, nodded in affirmation. Eugene looked up with wide eyes at the small woman standing above him. _Holy shit,_ was the main thought going through his mind. _Remind me not to piss her off._

"First, you will release this man," she ordered firmly, gesturing briefly at Eugene. 

"What? I can't –"

Rapunzel punctuated her instructions by looping a section of her hair around the hook outside the window behind her. She'd performed that simple task so many times before, she didn't need to turn around to do it. She tugged experimentally on the makeshift pulley, eyes still locked on the spluttering captain.

"You owe him the life of your princess, Captain. You. Will. Release. This. Man… Now."

The two men in the room who were actively listening. "What was that?" Eugene inquired politely and incredulously, dark eyebrows knitting together in a combination of confusion and shock. He could not possibly have heard that correctly. What princess? The only person he'd saved recently was…. _Oh crap…_

"Yes," the captain echoed, for once finding himself in the same boat as the infamous thief. "What was that?"

"I am your princess, sir. This man has saved my life. And you will release him immediately. Any questions?"

The captain didn't move for a moment. He simply stared at the young woman in front of him, absorbing everything he hadn't thought to notice upon first seeing her standing behind the thief. He'd assumed she was one of Rider's many love interests – the man had girls fawning over him in the streets of every city, after all. But now he observed those stern green eyes boring into him – that same blazing gaze the queen herself had the habit of fixing him with whenever he did something wrong. The mouth, slightly downturned in displeasure, was very definitely reminiscent of his queen's. And the way her shoulders were hunched over – as if the force of her will was coursing through every fiber of her body – he was almost waiting for the king's furious voice to roar out of her slender frame, the same way he'd heard it on the night the princess was kidnapped.

His gaze traveled to the choppy brown mop on top of her head. Wasn't the princess supposed to have long golden hair? But before he could bring himself to speak, he remembered the rope on the floor. It wasn't rope at all, was it. It was _hair_. Seventy feet of long, shining brown hair – looking as if it hadn't been lying on the floor for very long at all. He supposed there had to be a story there – probably one that could explain the one detail that was out of place.

Eugene's heart was pounding in his ears, his breath coming out ragged and nearly in gasps. He felt like he'd been stabbed in the side again – except he knew he was going to survive this time. "P-p-p… princess?" he managed to choke out, although his voice didn't sound nearly as strong as he'd wanted it to.

She turned to look at him and smiled slowly, letting the uncertain, naïve eighteen year old girl that he'd come to love in the past three days shine through. "I was going to tell you. I just…" She blushed and shrugged, hoping he wouldn't be angry with her.

"H-h-h," he swallowed, trying to get himself to breathe. "How long have you known? The whole time?"

"An hour and a half, maybe?" She bit her lower lip in embarrassment. "Mother – I mean, Gothel – pretty much confirmed it for me. You know that flag you gave me yesterday? I started seeing the symbol on it in my paintings around my room. _Everywhere_ in my room. I couldn't figure out why it was there – I'd never seen it before yesterday. Except for on the night I was born. I think it was hanging above my crib. And then I remembered seeing people with brown hair standing over me and smiling. Except for it wasn't the same way Mother used to smile at me. It was more like your smile – like they were really happy I was there. They looked like the picture of the King and Queen in the town square. And I… the baby had… well…"

"She had your eyes and your hair," he said slowly, trying not to let his mouth hang open.

Rapunzel nodded, almost forgetting the speechless group of men staring at her. Absent mindedly, she helped Pascal climb up her arm and onto her shoulder. "And when I asked Mother about it, she looked like – well, she looked like you did when she stabbed you."

The captain found his tongue. "'Mother'?"

"The woman you saw falling from the tower." A hint of regret and grief snuck into Rapunzel's voice as her eyes brimmed with tears. "She must have kidnapped me when I was a baby. She raised me as her own. I guess all she wanted from me was my hair…" It hurt to say. Even if Gothel had been using her for her own gain, the woman was still the only person Rapunzel had ever known until Rider had stumbled into her tower three days ago.

"Your hair had been keeping her young all this time?" Rider asked, already knowing the answer. He wished he could hold her. He couldn't stand her tears.

The girl nodded mutely and turned her face to the floor, the brightly colored tiles blurring behind the oncoming waterfall of emotion.

"Her hair?" The captain turned to the thief in chains, still needing an explanation but not wanting to disturb the young woman's grief.

Eugene's gaze was still locked on the trembling frame in front of him. "Her hair used to be blonde and possessed healing powers. The old woman had kept her locked away in this tower for eighteen years, using her hair to keep herself young. Gothel stabbed me when I got here about an hour ago. Rapunzel was going to use her hair to save my life, but I cut it before she got the chance and it turned brown."

The captain wasn't following the logic. "Why?"

"Because Gothel was going to take her away. She could have kept her for another hundred years or more, as long as she had Rapunzel's power. So I cut her hair to keep her from using Rapunzel anymore. I figured if she didn't have the power anymore, Gothel wouldn't want her. I know it probably sounds crazy. I know it did when she first told me."

The man was starting to get a headache from the amount of information he was trying to absorb. He supposed the healing hair could be possible, considering the circumstances of the Princess's birth. And the only thing they'd been able to find in the baby's crib eighteen years ago was a single lock of dark brown hair. At first, they'd thought the kidnapper's hair had been brown. But why would the thief leave a full lock of hair at the scene? Looking at the girl before him and the massive heaps of dark brown hair around the room, he supposed this might possibly fit a little better. It certainly would answer a lot of difficult questions.

"So you pushed her out the window afterwards?"

Rider actually flushed and looked at the stone floor where his blood was still pooling. "Uh, no, actually. I was still bleeding out on the floor. The frog tripped her and she fell." Pascal waved smugly from the princess's shoulder, for once not caring about being called a frog.

"Just one more question, Rider. If this Gothel women stabbed you and you were 'bleeding out on the floor,' how are you still alive? Rapunzel," he rolled the name around his tongue, feeling it out, "didn't have her power any more, right?"

Rider thought for a moment before answering, realization dawning in his eyes. "Because it wasn't just the hair that had power." He stared in amazement at the woman who'd become his whole world. "It was her."


	3. Gonna Be Okay

Eugene pushed gently past the captain of the guard, who'd managed to remember to unlock the chain around his wrist, to make his way to the princess sitting on the ground a few feet away. She was hugging her knees tightly to her chest and burying her face in her skirts. The thief knelt beside her and pulled her close to him, muttering softly to her in her hair, telling her that everything was going to be okay. It felt like a lie, but he tried to believe it anyway, if only for her sake.

She looked up at him, green eyes brimming with tears. He'd seen her cry too many times today. "You're not mad?" Her lower lip quivered, uncertain of everything around her.

"How could I be mad?" he smiled, trying to reassure her. "After everything that's happened to us over the past couple of days, you think I can really be mad at you?" He laughed and pulled her close, smile giving way to a slightly worried frown only when he was sure she couldn't see. "No, Blondie. I'm not mad."

The captain coughed uncomfortably from behind the pair as the men on the floor began untangling themselves from the hair on the floor. Eugene smoothed Rapunzel's short brown hair, savoring the feel of the silky strands between his fingers. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's getcha home." He smiled at her gently.

"Your Highness?" The captain asked, stumbling on the words. "You'd best get your things together. My men will get things ready outside. I'll wait here with Mr. Rider."

Rapunzel looked up at Eugene, who nodded encouragingly at her, before muttering a small "Thank you," and scampering upstairs to her bedroom. Eugene watched her go, feeling an odd combination of happiness and despair. Who'd ever heard of a thief loving a princess? But maybe it wasn't so crazy if the princess loved the thief back.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting downstairs with an uncomfortable Captain, Eugene moved to go upstairs. The Captain spluttered a bit before realizing he was guarding the only two exits to the tower and Rider couldn't really go anywhere without him knowing about it. The thief found the missing princess sitting on her bed, hunched over a small piece of purple fabric, fingers thoughtfully tracing the surface pattern. With a small pang of something he couldn't quite name, Eugene realized it was the small kingdom flag he'd bought her yesterday, the golden sun brilliantly emblazoned on the soft violet cloth. He sat beside her on the bed and took her hand, moving the flag away onto her lap.

"I don't want it to end," she said softly, voice barely audible. "I know it's going to be okay – better even. But part of me is still waiting for Mother to come home and hold me and tell me that she loves me. She may have used me, but I loved her. And I think that maybe… maybe she loved me too, underneath it all. But at the same time, I don't want to be sad that she's gone. I mean, I have you now. And I'm going to go meet my real parents for the first time. I should be happy, right?"

He pulled her close to his chest, stumbling over what he wanted to say. "Rapunzel, it's okay to feel sad about what happened. I don't know what she was like, really. But I think it's hard to believe that she spent eighteen years with you and didn't love you to some degree. Hell," he chuckled a little, "I've only known you for three days and I think I'm in love with you. It's okay to be sad, babe. You can be sad for as long as you need to." She burst into tears, fingers digging into the leather of his torn vest. "And we'll get through it together. I promise." He kissed her head gently, knowing that he was about to start rambling if he kept talking.

"Eugene?" she asked, voice muffled by both her tears and his vest. "I think I'm in love with you too."

He couldn't help but feel rather giddy as she tilted her head back to look at him, a tiny smile pulling at the corner of her lips. Instinctively, he bent to kiss her, slowly and sweetly, tasting the salt of her tears on her skin. Her hands buried themselves in his hair, pulling him closer to her with need, slim body pressing against him. He wrapped his arms around her, letting all of his tension and uncertainty dissipate. She loved him. They were going to make it.

Slowly, almost regretfully, they pulled apart and simply smiled at each other, not needing words. Still holding his hand, Rapunzel pulled Eugene off the bed with her and looked around the room for a moment. At last, her eyes fell on the small flag resting on the bed where it had fallen. She picked it up, smiled, and walked towards the stairs, her thief in tow.

Once on the main landing, Rapunzel went to the kitchenette and picked up her trusty frying pan, then, with a thoughtful glance at the gaping hole in Eugene's clothes, picked up a small box from a table on the other side of the room. Pascal crawled happily back onto his place on the girl's shoulder, and they were ready to go. The captain looked at the small load with confusion.

"That's it?"

"I've got everything I could possibly need," she smiled, looking happily up at the grinning man beside her, all trace of grief gone for the moment.

"What about shoes?"

Surprised, she looked down at her bare toes, wiggling them experimentally. "What would I need them for?"

Eugene chuckled and motioned for the captain to let it go. The way he figured, if Rapunzel decided later that there was something else from the tower she wanted, she could always send someone back to get it. As for shoes, well… he wasn't exactly sure that she even owned a pair.

Hand in hand, the princess and the thief made their way down the old, dusty stone steps, followed by the rather dazed captain of the guard. Eugene thought that Rapunzel wasn't exactly the kind of princess the man had been hoping to find all these years. All things considered, he was taking the whole situation rather well.

A happy neigh greeted them as they stepped out into the sunlight, and Maximus trotted gleefully to meet them. Rapunzel squealed and hugged the horse around the neck, beaming over her shoulder at Eugene. Pascal took the opportunity to crawl up onto the horn of Max's saddle, watching the scene rather contentedly. He'd never seen his best friend so happy.

The guards, standing near their own mounts, were at a loss as to what they were supposed to do. So, naturally, they did nothing. The old captain, trying his best to retain some semblance of authority and discipline, strode past Rider to confront his horse.

"You're involved with this?" he demanded, already knowing the answer, but wanting a confession anyway. In a show of nonchalance, Maximus shrugged noncommittally, tossing his head mischievously. The man sighed and let his shoulders sink in defeat, turning to face the wanted criminal behind him. "Flynn Rider, I want your parole. Do you promise not to do anything excessively stupid while travelling with me?"

"Meaning…?"

"No thieving and no trying to escape. Generally just doing your best to be a decently well-behaved individual. I know it's going to be hard for you – " Rider rolled his eyes at the sarcasm, " – but it'll be in your best interests to behave. I guarantee it."

"So, if I give you my parole, you promise not to clap me back in irons the first time I close my eyes to sleep?"

"That's generally the way it works. You're not getting much slack though. I think I'm being pretty generous even asking."

Flynn shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose so." He paused, trying to think of the best way to give his word. He didn't think a simple "Sure, I promise," was going to cut it. He looked into the beaming green eyes of the woman waiting for him and smiled. "Captain, I give you my parole. I swear that I will not steal or try to escape for the duration of the trip, on the life and well-being of the Princess Rapunzel."

"You'd better keep that promise, Rider," the man muttered, turning to face his men. "Form up, men. Let's get home." He mounted his borrowed horse and looked back to see Rider sitting atop Maximus, the young woman sitting in front of him. He watched her expression change as she glanced towards the ground at the base of the tower and slipped down off the horse. She walked slowly towards a black mound sitting on the ground. The captain was about to tell her to get back on the waiting white horse when she knelt and took the edge of what looked like a cloak in her hands. Rider moved Maximus closer and the horse nuzzled her cheek comfortingly. A decision evidently having been made, the girl swung the black cloak around her slim shoulders and let Flynn help her back up into the saddle. The man smiled at her understandingly and pulled her close to him, kissing her cheek before nodding to the captain.

The men formed up around the pair and they left the small, secluded valley to face the world ahead. With Eugene's arms around her and her two friends at her side, Rapunzel felt that everything was going to work out okay.


	4. Journey Home

As the travelling party slowly filed out of the narrow tunnel, hidden for so long by thick hanging vines, Eugene was suddenly confronted by a narrow strip of churned earth leading out into the forest. Stealth was very obviously not Maximus's strong point. Granted, they'd both had other, more important things on their minds at the time, such as getting to Rapunzel's tower before it was too late. But the trail the horse had left behind him made Eugene wonder what had taken the palace guard so long to find them. Max was apparently thinking the same thing, because when Eugene lifted an eyebrow pointedly in his friend's direction, the horse neighed shortly as if embarrassed and made a show of not noticing his own hoof prints, even when he stumbled momentarily over the new ridges in the earth.

Eugene chuckled and patted the horse's neck. "We'll work on it later, bud. Thanks for getting me here in time. You were fantastic earlier."

A proud whinny combined with a new spring in Maximus's step reassured Eugene that his friend's ego hadn't been damaged too terribly by the incident. The man smiled and pulled Rapunzel closer to his chest. She was fidgeting with the black velvet cloak now slung around her shoulders. The garment was obviously too big for her, reaching nearly a foot past her bare toes, but she seemed to draw some comfort from it. Eugene nuzzled her neck before planting a kiss on her cheek, not really caring about the watchful guards riding around them. He was so happy to be alive, holding the woman he'd risked everything to save from a woman he'd never met before, not even the uncertainty of their future was going to bother him. They'd deal with everything later. The only future he wanted to think about right now was the next laugh he was going to coax out of the slender form sitting in front of him in the saddle.

Rapunzel was evidently of a like mind, for she snuggled contentedly back into her thief's chest and rested her head in the hollow of his shoulder, smiling wearily up at him. But her curious nature got the better of her as a thoughtful frown crossed her face. "Eugene?" she asked.

"Hmmm?"

"What happened when you didn't come back?"

Guilt stabbed through him like a knife, reminding him painfully of his encounter with Rapunzel's mother earlier that morning. "When I first stole your crown a few days ago, I had teamed up with a pair of men who call themselves the Stabbington Brothers. You met them in the Snuggly Duckling, remember? I don't even know what their first names are, or why only one of them ever says anything. But they're nearly as notorious as yours truly, so they seemed like the obvious choice for teaming up with me to steal the most treasured object in Corona."

"Corona?"

"Your kingdom, Princess," he smirked. "Anyway, after the job I ditched them and took the crown for myself. That's when I found your tower for the first time. Apparently our good captain of the guard arrested them and began carting them around in his search for me. But they managed to escape in the pub. I thought they had split and run for the border, but I saw them on the shore while we were watching the lanterns last night." 

"That's why you got distracted?"

"Yeah. So I took the crown to give it back to them. I figured that they wouldn't chase me anymore if I just returned what I'd taken from them in the first place. They didn't want the crown, though. They wanted you."

Rapunzel's horrified expression almost made him stop his story right there. He knew that the ending was going to hurt her badly, and she'd had a hard enough day already. But the truth would have to come out sometime or other anyway. Better now than never.

"Somehow they knew about your hair and thought that you'd be worth ten times what the crown was. Of course, none of us really had any idea how true that was. In any case, they managed to overpower me and tie me to the mast of a boat on a course for the city, crown tethered to my hand. When the guards saw me with the crown, they arrested me immediately. I struggled of course, but between the Stabbington Brothers and your frying pan, I had woken up with a massive headache and wasn't up to my usual escape prowess." His sarcastic, teasing smirk brought a small smile to her face in the midst of the seriousness of the story. "I spent the night in prison and was marched out to the noose in the morning. On the way out, though, I noticed none other than the Stabbies sitting miserably in a cell. Headache gone, I incapacitated two guards before forcibly convincing the more vocal of the Brothers to tell me what had happened. They'd been played by an 'old lady' who'd told them about your hair. She'd gotten away after turning them in, unconscious, to the nearest patrol. That was when I knew you were_ really_ in trouble."

"Mother did that?" The girl looked positively stricken, but knew that Eugene's words were true. It fit all too well with her own end of the story. Of course Gothel had been able to overpower the two men. They'd thought she was a friend.

Eugene pressed on, determined to give the whole story. "I thought I was done for – I'm not much of a match in chains for three elite guards. The pub thugs, however, are a whole nother story. I noticed one of Vlad's unicorns – you remember – on the windowsill as Cupid shut the door at the end of the corridor, demanding that the captain give him the password. While the two of them were arguing, Hook Hand and Big Nose took care of the two guards flanking me. Atilla used a frying pan – who knew you'd be such a trendsetter, Blondie – to incapacitate our glorious captain." The man in question was glaring irritatedly over his shoulder at a rather smug Flynn Rider, who winked good humouredly back at him.

"A chase commenced, during which I was catapulted onto the castle ramparts into the saddle of a waiting Maximus, who evidently had orchestrated the whole thing. Max demonstrated his true superiority to other horses by leaping off the castle wall into the city below, and we raced off to your tower to save you from being dragged off again." He grinned. "Did I miss anything, Captain?"

The man slumped his shoulders, feeling more and more defeated by the minute. "It was one of the more impressive escape attempts I've seen," he admitted, praying fervently that the thief would find it in the goodness of that blackened heart to shut up soon.

Maximus neighed at the compliment and Rider bowed mockingly from the saddle, taking the opportunity to kiss Rapunzel's cheek again. The antics seemed to cheer the girl up a little as she absent mindedly stroked a cooing Pascal, who had turned a pleasant, happy shade of purple.

The captain stared into space, lost in thought and happy for Flynn's sudden lack of commentary. A small part of him was glad that the man had managed to escape the noose this morning. He loved his job, but he truly hated executions. Rider may have been one of Corona's most wanted thieves, but he'd never really done anything to physically hurt anyone. Truth be known, if he hadn't stolen the princess's crown, he'd only be facing a bit of prison time. He should have known better than to piss off the king so directly, but did he really deserve to die? The captain would be sorry to lose his long-time rival. The man knew how to give a good chase, that was for sure. For Rider's sake, he hoped that the woman he'd found was, in fact, the lost princess. If not… well, the captain would have to go through with the one part of his job that he really hated.

And if what Rider was saying was true, then he'd have to release the band of thugs who'd aided in the escape. No doubt they'd be honored by the king for their heroic actions. The captain smiled to himself. None of the men had protested in the least when they were carted to their cells in chains. Most of them actually had seemed rather pleased with themselves, actually. He thought he wouldn't mind setting them free if it came to it.

~ ҉ ~

They were four miles from the capital when they finally stopped to rest for the night. With the city looming large in the distance, the young woman they were escorting to the palace had become increasingly uncomfortable and had at last asked politely to rest until the morning. The captain, trying to find the balance between understanding how the princess was feeling and his impatience to get her back to her rightful parents, unquestioningly agreed, hoping that the less he argued with himself over the situation the smoother everything would go. Without a second thought, he ordered his men to set up camp.

Eugene, feeling an odd desire to be helpful, took it upon himself to make the fire, gathering wood from around the small clearing silently. He watched as Rapunzel borrowed a brush from one of the guards and began to brush down Max, tension easing from her limbs with every stroke. For a moment, he regretted having cut her hair so short. It had obviously been a comfort to her to run her fingers through the shining strands, and she probably had enjoyed brushing it, seeing as how she was taking so much pleasure from brushing Max. But what's done was done; there was no changing it now. Besides, the short cut looked so damn _cute_ on her it was killing him.

He found himself grinning like a kid as he watched her bob around the white stallion, her short locks giving her a freedom of movement she'd never known before. He wanted to run over to her and scoop her up in his arms, twirling her around and reminding her of how beautiful she was to him. He knew she would giggle at him before he captured her smiling lips with his. And he would wonder, as he was wondering now, how his life had gone from shitty to amazing so quickly.

A short cough from the captain, who was watching him thoughtfully from his seat on a log, brought the thief back to reality, although the happy grin remained plastered on his face. He whistled to himself as he stacked the armful of fallen branches onto the freshly dug fire pit. With a small laugh to himself, he realized he'd whistled the song Rapunzel had taught the pub thugs. His new dream certainly trumped the old one.

After a short meal of cold soldier's rations, the party settled down to sleep for the night – with the exception of the single guard on watch for the next few hours. Rapunzel and Eugene, much like two nights before, settled down on opposite sides of the dwindling camp fire, separated by snoring soldiers and horses. The ever-present Pascal dozed quietly near his friend's nose, every so often letting out a reptilian chirp of contentment.

Rapunzel laid still, trying her hardest to fall asleep. She was so _uncomfortable_. Normally, she would have used her hair as a pillow and blanket, the soft locks cushioning her nearly as well as her own bed. But Gothel's cloak, for all that it kept her warm, was too thin to be an effective barrier against the stones and sticks in the hard dirt. The girl sighed in irritation and sat up, much to the surprise of the sleeping Pascal. She looked over the fire at Eugene, who was curled up around a rock. Huffing in indecision, she tried once again to find a comfortable position to sleep in before standing in resignation. Helping her trusty companion onto her shoulder, Rapunzel padded silently over to the sleeping thief, removing Gothel's cloak in the process. She folded up the black fabric and gently slipped it under Eugene's head, smiling at the happy sigh she received as she did so. For a moment, she hesitated. Then, at an encouraging chirp from the chameleon on her shoulder, she laid down behind the man, fitting her curves tightly to his and resting her arm over his waist. Already feeling somewhat better, she snuggled closer and found that hear head fit perfectly into the niche between his shoulder blades, the muscles of his back cradling her cheek exquisitely. With a happy sigh, Rapunzel closed her eyes and, at last, fell asleep.


	5. New Family

Eugene couldn't remember having ever been more comfortable sleeping on the floor. The rock he'd been using as a pillow all night seemed soft and cushioned. Even the grass was warm, cradling every curve of his back and legs. With a sigh of contentment, he snuggled back into the grass.

Wait…

Warm grass?

Grass was supposed to be cool and refreshing, and probably wet from the morning dew. Not warm. And it definitely wasn't supposed to breathe.

Abruptly awake, he glanced cautiously over his shoulder to see what exactly was going on. A mop of tousled brown hair was cuddled up to his back, and the person that was attached to that mop had pulled herself as close to his body as humanly possible, hence how he could tell that she was breathing. He glanced up at his rock-pillow and found that it had been covered with the thick folds of Gothel's cloak. Considering the woman had killed him the morning beforehand, he thought that was a little disconcerting. Ever so slowly, Eugene turned around to face her, being careful not to disturb the limp arm resting on his waist. His life as a thief had, oddly enough, prepared him well for the task at hand, for the sleeping young woman didn't stir in the least as the man shifted to cradle her in his arms.

As an afterthought, he gently slipped the entirety of Gothel's cloak underneath Rapunzel's head, deciding he was perfectly okay with the bare rock.

The captain had taken the last watch of the night, as he usually did when travelling with his men. He'd made a point in his career of not asking anyone to do anything he wasn't willing to do himself, and standing at the edge of the camp in the small hours of the morning while everyone else was asleep was no exception, even if it was getting harder and harder to do as he got older. And he'd sworn to himself that he'd continue with the practice until the protesting creak of his bones as he got up woke the rest of the camp. Considering how deeply the soldiers were sleeping presently, he figured he still had a few years left.

As the rising sun began to filter through the trees above, dappling the grass with a pinkish light, the captain turned his eyes from the lightening woods around them to the haphazard circle of sleeping forms around the dwindling campfire. With a start, he realized that there was an open space where the princess had laid down to sleep the night before. His eyes franticly searched the camp before they alighted on the shifting form of the thief, who appeared to be carefully rolling over, a goofy grin on his face, and the princess cradled in his arms. The captain watched the pair for a good half-hour or so, having already decided to let the troops sleep in a little. They weren't really in a hurry after all. And the scene was so cute it made the more callous part of him want to puke. Every so often, Rider would reach up and brush the girl's hair out of her face, to be rewarded by a soft, contented smile spreading across her open features.

At last, Rapunzel's green eyes fluttered open, still slightly reddened from sleep. She yawned absent mindedly, deciding whether or not she wanted to go back to dreamland. With a small smile and a glance up at the brown gaze fixed on her, she decided that she was already starting to live a dream – one that her subconscious couldn't possibly compete with.

"Morning Blondie," Eugene smirked, smoothing her hair back once again.

Rapunzel frowned slightly in thought. "You can't call me that anymore," she stated, a hint of regret in her voice.

"Sure I can."

"But I'm not blonde anymore."

Eugene chuckled. "Oh, you're still blonde on the inside, sweetheart. There's no changing that."

"Huh?"

He pulled her closer and laughed before kissing her soundly. "Exactly."

~ ҉ ~

As the palace guards bustled about – making breakfast over a renewed fire, packing up sleeping equipment, feeding horses, and whatnot – Rapunzel was frowning thoughtfully at the large tear in her beloved's clothing. With a determined nod of her head, she retrieved her sewing kit from Max's saddlebags and marched up to the man wearing the offending garment – who once again was collecting firewood. She looked him in the eye, doing her best to look authoritative, and held out her hand.

"Take off your shirt."

Completely unprepared for the demand, he stared blankly back. "What?" The soldiers around the clearing erupted into laughter as they all turned to watch the scene.

"Take off your shirt. I need to fix it."

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's got a big hole in the side. I'm going to go meet my parents for the first time in eighteen years, and it'd be nice if the man who saved me doesn't look like he's got a big stab wound in his side. Take off your shirt."

Rather at a loss, Rider silently appealed to the grinning captain for help. The man simply laughed and put his hands up in mock surrender. "Don't look at me, man. This is your problem." Eugene glared back down at the smiling face of his oppressor. "Do I have to?"

She put her hands behind her back and swayed back and forth patiently. "Pleeeeeaaaase?"

"Fine," he grumbled irritatedly as he unbuckled his vest and belt. "Can I keep the shirt part though? A blood stain can only get so presentable, torn or not. And the vest will cover it up." Truth be known, he was a little embarrassed at stripping in front of the guards. Sure, he was handsome. But even the most beautiful people had to have _something_ to be self-conscious about.

Rapunzel shrugged in agreement and bounced happily over to a spot by the fire, determined to make the worn garment relatively presentable again while Eugene, white linen shirt tucked into his breeches, continued his chores – albeit with a constant grumbling. The captain thought he caught the words "sweet little shit" somewhere in the mumbles.

After a thin breakfast soldier's rations – and after the mended vest was returned to the surly Flynn Rider – the party left their small camp and headed for the capital of Corona. Rapunzel was looking forward to seeing the town square again – all the bright colors and smiling people. And this time she wouldn't have to worry about making sure Eugene didn't get caught by the guards roaming around the streets. But as they made their way across the long stone bridge and into the city, the faces Rapunzel saw were filled with surprise and anger. They didn't recognize the young woman they'd danced with only two days before. All they saw was two bedraggled people – one of them being a wanted thief – surrounded by palace guards, on their way to the castle to face the king. Frowning to herself, she pressed herself further back into Eugene's embrace and helped a chirping Pascal onto her shoulder.

All in all, it was a rather uncomfortable ride filled with uncomfortable silence. So when Rapunzel and Eugene were left standing on a palace balcony overlooking the city, they both were glad for the comfort of solitude. Rapunzel was shaking with nerves, and the thief was doing his best to distract her by pointing out the historical landmarks visible from their elevated vantage point. With one arm around her waist, pulling her close to him, he made sure to keep talking and smiling at her, trying to ease her tension. When the double doors behind them burst open, however, Eugene was the nervous one.

Seeing the two of them in the same place together, there was no doubt whatsoever that Rapunzel was the queen's daughter. They were nearly identical in appearance and mannerism. Without a word, they embraced, both knowing instinctively that it was right. The king, tearing up with happiness, soon joined in. Eugene tried to blend in with the background and, for once, was exceptionally jealous of Pascal's ability to change colors.

So the thief simply stood and watched a scene he'd wanted to be a part of since childhood. Mother and father embraced their lost child that had grown up without them. But, once again, that child wasn't him. Eugene Fitzherbert was stuck on the outside looking in on something he'd likely never have. And as much as he was bursting with happiness for the young woman who'd found her family at last, he felt that old ache in his heart – an old friend long absent. And it hurt more than he'd remembered.

Just as he was about to turn and walk down the flight of steps to the city, leaving before he had a chance to ruin anything for that girl – that princess – he'd come to love, a long, slender hand reached up to him. Thinking the queen was shaking his hand with simple thanks, he took it with a gentle smile, hoping it would convey everything he didn't dare speak. _I love her,_ it said. _And I want her to be happy. I don't care if that means I can't have her. I don't care if it gets me hanged. I'm glad she's finally home._ But the queen said nothing. Instead, she pulled him into the embrace, a very Rapunzel-like expression of determination across her face. Much to his surprise, it all felt right. And for the first time since leaving the orphanage, Eugene found himself in tears.


	6. A Lesson in Diplomacy

Eugene woke to find himself in a large four poster bed, still wondering if he should pinch himself to see if he was dreaming. It had been two weeks since that uncomfortable ride through the city square – two glorious, happy weeks. It still seemed surreal. He was sleeping in a palace every night, didn't have to dodge soldiers unless he wanted to, and had been accepted into a family of monarchs. Part of him was still waiting for Pascal's tongue to stick in his ear, bringing him back to an angry, blonde Rapunzel holding a frying pan in front of his face, demanding that he take her to go see the lanterns on her birthday.

After a yawn and a quick stretch of his arms, he rolled out of the bed, trying really, really hard not to think about anything. Of course, as was always the case when he tried not to do something, he ended up doing thinking anyway. There wasn't really too much to be worried about, though. The king had granted him – and the pub thugs, naturally – a full pardon of all crimes against the Crown only two days after returning Rapunzel to her rightful home. So, he wasn't on the run. He didn't have to sleep in gutters or rooftops. He didn't have to be paranoid that he was going to be dragged away to jail in the morning. He didn't even have to worry about Rapunzel being safe.

With a small smirk, he supposed that was the real problem with really, really rich people. There weren't enough practical things – like meals – to be worried about on a daily basis.

So what was he supposed to be stressing out about today? Ah yes. There were people coming to visit.

Still not really feeling up to being fully awake yet, the reformed thief trudged his way over to the wardrobe on the other side of the room. As he tugged on the intricately carved handles, he sighed loudly. Why did he need so many clothes again? The whole color-matching thing was confusing and unnecessary, and it made him miss his old, worn, comfortable clothes. Why'd Gothel have to get so much of his blood on them? Probably had something to do with wanting to kill him or something. Damned woman.

Not particularly caring what he pulled out of the sea of brightly-colored tunics and shirts, he got dressed and took a look at himself in the mirror. _Blue and red it is, then_, he thought, smoothing out the wine-colored vest he'd chosen at random. Then he noticed the pants.

_Nope. Absolutely not. _They were tight, more than a little bit constricting, had no pockets, and, most importantly, revealed every bulge, minor and major alike, in his lower body. With how he'd been reacting to Rapunzel's presence, recently, those pants would never, never work in any company, polite or otherwise. Making a mental note to ask for all similar articles of clothing to be removed so he wouldn't accidentally pick them out again, he sought out the pair of black pants he'd worn the day before. _Ah, perfect._ Pockets, lots of room, and… well, lots of room.

What had the king been telling him about shoes the other day? There was supposed to be a method. He just knew it. Of course, he'd forgotten numerous times what that method was. So, he trusted his instincts. _Too shiny. Too feminine. Just don't like them... Boots it is._

Feeling rather pleased with himself for accomplishing the first relatively major task of the day – supposedly getting dressed right was really important in the elevated social circles – Eugene stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. So why did he feel like he was forgetting something?

"Eugene!" squealed an excited purple blur as Rapunzel darted down the hall to meet him. She looked absolutely radiant. Beaming ear to ear, she kissed him soundly, throwing her arms around his neck as he happily spun her around.

"Good morning, Blondie. You look particularly beautiful today," his eyes lingered momentarily on the neckline – cut a little lower than normal. "I love the dress," he smirked.

She giggled at the compliment, as her green gaze swept over him, seemingly drinking him in. When she glanced up at his head, however, she simply grinned mischievously, debating whether or not she should tell him.

"What?" he asked, curious and slightly deflated. _Okay, so I apparently_ can't_ dress myself. I can steal anything from anywhere. I'm in love with a princess. But I can't dress myself. Great, Flynn. Great. Next you'll have to learn how to color in the lines again._

Seeing sarcasm and injured pride flash across Eugene's face made up Rapunzel's mind for her. Kissing his cheek, she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, smoothing out the haphazard locks into the thief's usual style. "That's it," she smiled, pecking him on the lips. "You look great."

Ego back at its usual inflated size, he took his princess's hand and walked casually with her down the hallway to breakfast, very glad he hadn't worn the tighter pants.

~ ҉ ~

Rapunzel fidgeted uncomfortably in the large, purple chair her parents had erected beside their thrones, wishing that Pascal had chosen to come with her instead of keeping Maximus company in the stables. The royal court had gathered for the arrival of a few rather important visitors – or so the princess had gathered – and, now being _part_ of the court, herself, the girl was required to participate. Only the familiar presence of Eugene standing behind her and slightly off to one side kept her from getting up and pacing around the elevated platform where her family was sitting. She smiled softly to herself, glad that she'd managed to convince her father to let the former thief stand with her near the thrones. Gaining a royal pardon hadn't taken much persuasion, considering Rider's recent contribution to the well-being of the kingdom; but public appearances at the side of the king's long lost daughter were an entirely different matter.

As the court crier dramatically opened the double doors on the other side of the room, the princess did her best to quiet the stream of frantic, worried questions blazing through her brain. _What if they don't like me? What if I'm not good enough to be a princess? Will they have another princess with them? Or maybe a prince?_ With a glance up at the strong figure at her side, she wondered _What if they like me _too_ much? What am I supposed to say when they come in again? Oh blast, I can't remember. _

"Your Royal Majesties and Highness of Corona," the small, round man announced with a bow. The court was instantly silent. "May I have the pleasure of presenting your most honored guest, the Imperial Prince Dorian Adonis – High Prince and Heir to the Throne of Gavvyn, and Great Conqueror of the Northern Tribes. The Esteemed Emissary of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Gareth Adonis."

The crier stepped to the side to reveal a confident, smiling man in his late twenties. Jet black hair with glittering, ebony eyes to match, he strode expectantly into the throne room, dramatic cape billowing out theatrically behind him as he left his groveling servants trailing behind him in the doorway.

Eugene took an instant dislike to the man.

"Your Majesties," he greeted, voice velvety and smooth, as he bowed gracefully before them.

The king and queen both inclined their heads in respect. "Your Highness," the king replied, the smallest hint of tension in his voice. "How good of you to come."

"I heard the glorious news the other day and just _had_ to see for myself," he grinned. "I'm so happy you've found your way home your Highness." The man turned slightly and gave a half-bow to the stunned Rapunzel. "The rumors I've heard on my journey don't do your beauty justice.

The girl blushed deeply and stammered, "Th-Th-Thank you," before turning away in embarrassment.

"And the wanted thief, I see." Eugene, to his credit, stood a little taller and glared daggers at the man, not caring about the consequences as mild dislike turned to blatant hate. He'd be damned to show how out of place he felt in front of the peacock flirting with his – _his – _girl. "Strange company for royalty to keep, I should think."

If there was one thing Eugene admired about the king above all others, it was that the man stood firmly by the decisions he made. "Mr. Fitzherbert is my honored guest. He returned my daughter to me only two weeks ago and has been pardoned of all crimes he's committed previously. He stays with us at my own, personal request."

"Ah," the smooth prince replied, unphased. "How convenient for him that he managed to find the princess in time to avoid the noose."

Eugene bristled slightly at the insult, but was totally unprepared for what happened next – as was everyone else in the room.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" The small Princess demanded, emerald eyes stony with barely contained fury. Without a second thought, she abruptly abandoned the lessons she'd learned about diplomacy the previous morning in the short crash course she'd had on royal courtesies.

Prince Dorian recovered quickly, but not quickly enough to prevent unadultered shock to spread across his tanned face. "Ah, she has spirit, albeit lacking in any finesse in matters of state. No doubt a result of a rough upbringing. Quite a catch, Mr… Futzhubbet, was it? I'll wager she'll be exceptionally entertaining at parties."

The king and Eugene both wore identical expressions of suppressed rage – faces beet red, shoulders slightly hunched over, and fists clenched so tightly their knuckles turned as white as the marble floor. Luckily, the queen reacted first. "You'll kindly pardon my daughter's outburst, your Highness. She is not yet used to the delicacy of our affairs. I will, however, ask that you refrain from making such comments about the princess or the company she keeps for the remainder of your stay here. I'll remind you that my husband and I have only recently been reunited with our daughter, and any further insult will be difficult to tolerate."

"Of course, your Majesty." He bowed, momentarily chastened, but still exceptionally confident. "I do apologize. Indeed, I forgot myself for a moment and was once again the impertinent child I once was. Princess Rapunzel, I beg your pardon. Please do me the honor of forgiving a fool such as myself." Rapunzel nodded wordlessly, still trying to work out what had just happened. "And Mr. Fuzzhibbess – "

"Fitzherbert, sir. Or Rider, if you find that easier to swallow." Eugene continued to glare, placing a protective hand on the arm of Rapunzel's chair. "Your Imperial Highness," he added as an afterthought.

"I am deeply sorry for the insult of my hasty words. Your name will be remembered with honor for centuries to come, my good man. Your esteemed position must be well deserved, sir."

Not trusting himself to speak without saying something he was sure he'd regret later – maybe years from now, if not sooner – Eugene nodded in acknowledgment and decided that he had best steer clear of the Imperial Prince, else he end up starting a war Corona couldn't win.

"You must be tired from your journey, your Highness," the king supplied at the momentary silence, all trace of his earlier anger erased save the throbbing of a large vein in his neck. "I imagine you'd like to rest before dinner is served. I'll send a servant to escort you to the dining hall later this evening."

"Of course, your Majesty. I will humbly take my leave. If you all will kindly excuse me."

As the foreign noble bowed and was escorted out of the throne room, Rapunzel thought he looked anything but humble.


	7. Inseparable

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way." Rapunzel was sure to enunciate every word clearly through her clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry, Princess, but I can't do that. It simply isn't proper for you to – "

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN IF IT'S PROPER OR NOT! I am going down the hall to see Eugene and you are NOT GOING TO STOP ME. Do you understand?" The homely little nursemaid that had been assigned to take care of her was getting to be exceptionally irritating. Rapunzel had been fighting with the woman since she'd gotten there over whether or not she was to be allowed to go see the thief without a chaperone. So far, the maid was still winning. No doubt due to her extensive experience dealing with cranky, whiny children, the stout, stubborn woman would not be reasoned with.

"Throwing a fit isn't going to help you, you know. You may be a princess now, but that doesn't mean that you can get everything you want. And like it or not, your entire _life_ is now about what is and isn't proper. So you're just going to have to deal with it." She hardly looked at the princess as she bustled around the room, tidying the girl's things as she spoke with that infuriatingly aloof tone of voice. Rapunzel was just about ready to strangle her. "Good afternoon, princess. I'll be back in a few hours to help you dress for supper."

The door clicked closed and Rapunzel plopped herself haughtily down on her bed. It wasn't that she thought she could suddenly have everything she wanted now that she was a princess. It was that, after having spent her entire life being forbidden from doing anything outside the walls of her tower, she refused to let anyone tell her what she was and wasn't allowed to do. Apparently strong-willed and deprived had the same outward signs as spoiled and pampered, and the chubby Mistress Gibbons tended to treat her as the latter.

Not for the first time that day, she wished Pascal were there to keep her company. She figured the small reptile would wander back into her room sometime in the night and cuddle with her, as he'd gotten into the habit of doing lately. The maids were somewhat opposed to his close proximity to their princess, so he'd been spending a fair amount of time in the stables with his new, rather larger mammalian friends. It was just one more complaint Rapunzel had about her new lifestyle. She added it to her growing mental list.

With a sigh of resignation, the girl pushed herself up from the goose-down mattress and headed for her small balcony. The drapes were pulled aside to let the light shine through the glass doors, held by long, silk cords. As Rapunzel leaned casually against the doorframe, she idly played with the soft tassels hanging from the ends. Her eyes widened in realization as an idea struck her. She looked down at the rope in her hands.

"Well, why not?" she wondered aloud. "It isn't _that_ much different, right?"

A determined gleam shining in her face, she untied the drapes and knotted the two ends together. She estimated she had at least thirty feet of length in her hands – a little less than she was used to dealing with, but it should work well enough. Stepping out onto the balcony, she surveyed the wall of the palace, pleased to find decorative outcroppings on the ledge above her. It took her a couple tries, but she managed to get her rope firmly wrapped around a stone depiction of a large flower. A slight feeling of doubt growing in her stomach, she tugged a few times and pulled herself up onto the railing. Eugene's room was only a couple doors down, right? It wasn't that far. With a deep breath to calm herself, she jumped, being sure not to look down.

The rope came loose as she set foot back on stable ground, and she repeated the process, counting balconies as she went.

_One… Two... Three... Four… Five. This is it._ Letting the strained silk cords fall to the ground, Rapunzel rapped loudly on the window and waited for Eugene to come let her in, feeling more than a little bit proud of herself.

Eugene's surprised form dazedly opened the latch for his unexpected visitor to push into the room. "Rapunzel? What are you doing here? It's not – "

"Don't you _dare_ tell me it's not proper for me to be here." With a few short steps, she closed the distance between them and kissed him, cutting off any retort he might have had. He shrugged and deepened the kiss, bringing her body close to him and enjoying the sheer might of the passion he felt coursing through her. After a moment, he picked her up and carried her over to the bed – more for convenience than for the sake of making a move. There was only so much touching one could do when had to focus on standing upright.

"I take it… there's a… story there?" he commented between kisses.

"There's two weeks of… arguing with… a damned nursemaid… there… if that's what you mean."

"Ah. So no one knows you're here?" He paused momentarily in the kissing for the purpose of satisfying curiosity.

"Nope."

Rapunzel watched his dark eyebrows knit together in thought. "Speaking of which, how did you get over here?"

She laughed and told him, enjoying the impressed pout dominating his expression.

"I guess we're going to have to get you a real rope, then. Or maybe just teach you how to pick locks."

"We can do that later. I have something better to take care of right now."

"Oh really? And what is that?"

With a determined and rather smug smile on her face, she pulled her thief down towards her for another kiss.

~ ҉ ~

The Queen smiled to herself as she watched her daughter walk into the dining hall hand in hand with her savior. The girl was all smiles when she was around the man, and it made her mother grateful that the two had found each other. But as the visiting prince swept into the room, the woman's smile vanished as she wondered if it would have been better for Rapunzel to not have come back to the palace after all. Gavvyn had always been a threat to the kingdom, and the refusal of a marriage proposal from the High Prince would not be taken well. Sun knows the pompous man didn't need any more wives, but that wouldn't stop him from taking affront at the Lost Princess's almost certain rejection. And affront would not bode well for Corona.

She sighed softly, the two sides of herself at odds yet again. The Queen and the Woman had never happily coexisted. So her warring halves peaked out into the room from behind the heavy purple curtain she hid behind, waiting for the last few guests to arrive before she emerged with her husband.

The prince's dark, glittering eyes swept across the long, oak table and the people waiting to be seated at it. No one would sit before the king, of course. A smug grin crept over his face as his gaze alighted on the object of his visit and the roadblock in his way. Yes, the princess of Corona would make a lovely addition to his harem – or would be the convenient cause of her kingdom's occupation. Either way, he'd get what he wanted – provided he could eliminate the lowly commoner sitting in the chair that should have been his.

"Ah, Mr. Fuzzhobbit," he smiled. Eugene's grip on Rapunzel's hand tightened noticeably.

"Fitzherbert," the princess corrected pointedly, glaring daggers at the offending prince.

"Of course, your Highness. . Once again, I see you are elevated far above your station. Congratulations on the honor."

His words were laced heavily with sarcasm – a fact that threatened Eugene's control over his temper. So Flynn took over, charming wit winning out over the overwhelming desire to leap over the table and break a few teeth. "If it bothers you, Highness, you're always welcome to leave. I'm sure no one would feel the need to get in your way. I suppose someone would even think to send up a plate of food for you in a few hours after we're done enjoying your absence."

A few of the nobles at the table chuckled softly at his boldness, but the majority fidgeted uncomfortably as they watched the exchange between the two men. Dorian laughed outright, throwing back his head as he came to stand behind his designated seat at the king's left hand. His foe's confidence was going to make this an interesting affair – an aspect he had failed to consider. He might actually have some fun during this visit.

Before Dorian could say anything more, the violet curtains behind the princess were swept aside and the king and queen entered the room arm in arm. As the pair took their seats at the head of the extra-wide table, Rapunzel thought she noticed a satisfied, steely gleam in her mother's vibrant eyes. The woman nodded ever so slightly at her daughter, approving the girl's choice of companion, and the girl squeezed Eugene's hand in reassurance. Their fingers entwined, the pair held on to each other throughout dinner, as if that point of contact would save them from what was to come.


	8. According to Plan

Rapunzel awoke to find herself curled up in a pair of strong, protective arms. A soft, warm breeze caressed the exposed skin on the back of her neck, and every inch of her body was pressed up against the sleeping form of a man – _her_ man. There was only one minor point of contact that was even mildly uncomfortable, and she wasn't sure why that was. Something hard was pressing up against her silk-covered butt. Curious, she slipped a small hand behind her to find a large, oval-ish shaped mound nearly larger than her hand beneath the navy satin of her lover's bedclothes.

Her probing touch was answered by a contented moan from the slowly awakening thief behind her, who gently pulled her closer to him. Curiosity still unsatisfied, Rapunzel continued to explore the contours of the object she'd discovered, trying to determine its shape and purpose and earning another loud moan in the process. Eugene opened his bleary brown eyes and nuzzled her neck, still not fully conscious.

"Mmmmmmmmmmm," he moaned, pushing his hips forward to meet her hand. "Hi there."

Rapunzel giggled mildly. "Eugene?" she laughed.

"Mmmmmmmmmyyyyesss love?" His lips suddenly found themselves very busily nibbling on her earlobe.

"What is this?" She squeezed gently for emphasis.

He moaned louder as his eyes rolled back up into his head in pleasure. "Uhhhhhhhh…. mmmmmmfffeels really good…."

"Apparently," she giggled. "But what is it?"

Eugene did his best to focus on her question and opened his eyes. She was peeking over her shoulder at him, green orbs filled with unsatisfied curiosity. "You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"What you're doing."

"Ummmm no? Are you going to answer my question now?"

"It's…. ummmm…" How was he supposed to explain this? "Something I have that you don't. I'll find you a book about it later."

She laughed. "Okay. But what _is_ it? And why do you have one and I don't?"

"You have something else. Sorry, Blondie. This is really awkward."

"Did I do something wrong?" Her mouth turned downward in concern as Eugene gingerly removed her hand and encircled her waist, bringing her closer to him and kissing down her jaw line.

"No, not exactly. I definitely wouldn't mind you doing that again sometime – after you know what it is you're doing, that is. Come to think of it, you should probably talk to your mom about it sometime – sooner rather than later, I think."

"Ummmmmm, okay…" Rapunzel closed her eyes, enjoying his kisses on her skin. "Sorry."

He paused, astonished. "For what?"

"For not knowing things."

"That's not something you need to be sorry about, Blondie. Besides, helping you learn is kinda fun." He smiled and turned her on her back, brushing her hair out of her face as she smiled uncertainly up at him.

"Eugene?"

"Yeah, Blondie?"

"I love you."

He smiled, a warm, fuzzy feeling spreading through him. "I love you back, Rapunzel."

~ ҉ ~

Meanwhile, the queen paced back and forth in front of her husband, who, if anything, was somewhat amused by the whole situation before them. If she paced too terribly much more, the king was going to have to replace the rug again.

"But what do we do?" his wife asked, green eyes frantic with worry and unresolved problems.

"We stall. I really don't think there's anything much we _can_ do other than that. If Prince Dorian wants Rapunzel, we theoretically don't have much choice in the matter. If we refuse, Gavvyn will invade." He smirked. "Of course, Gavvyn will probably invade anyway. Emperor Gareth has had his eye on us for a while."

"What are you saying, exactly?"

"I don't think it makes much difference, politically, whether or not Dorian takes our daughter. It's only a matter of time before Adonis attacks."

"So the plan is…."

"To stall. We buy time until we have a plan for Adonis's inevitable treachery."

The queen sat, mind set on the new issue. "We don't have the military power to resist a full scale invasion. Sun knows Gareth on the throne won't go well for any of us. But if the Emperor throws much weight behind his attack, we'll fall easily."

Her husband nodded, arms crossed thoughtfully. "Our largest defense is the landscape right now. We've never had much of a military force, but the island is defensible at least. We could sit tight for a siege, but that leaves the outlying towns and villages vulnerable and without hope of support. We could evacuate the island ahead of time and send everyone out into the countryside, but then we have no real force within the city, and Gareth will push outwards to conquer the rest of the kingdom. There has to be enough of a population and enough of a fight inside the city to keep the Emperor more interested in the capital than in the rest of the kingdom."

"Some of the more important nobles should go underground before Gareth even gets here. We could send them out with 'messages' and let them disappear. That wouldn't sound too unbelievable. We should probably focus on those with more military experience first. And everyone can't disappear or else it will be too suspicious and Gareth will send troops out into the countryside."

"The more people who stay, the more people will die. You know Gareth isn't kind to the kingdoms he conquers."

She frowned. "Yes, I know. And I also know that _we_ can't leave. He'll kill more people trying to find us."

"Rapunzel can, though. And with Eugene's help, they could go underground fairly easily. They could disappear right under everyone's noses."

The queen's eyes brightened with the spark of an idea as her mouth turned upwards with dark mischief. "Eugene… That's it!"

~ ҉ ~

Dorian kept his face void of emotion – a well-practiced exercise he always fell back on when speaking with his father. The small jar of dark red liquid lay open next to his sharpened quill on the ornate writing desk. With the curtains drawn tight against the balcony, a small candle near his workspace was the only source of light in the room – just enough to read by. He waited, staring at the dark parchment on the table.

Only minutes ago, the imperial prince had completed his daily report, confirming Corona's lack of defenses militarily and pointing out various other weaknesses he had observed during his stay. It was merely a repetition of what their strategists already knew, but it was good to have affirmation of previous reports.

The prince let his thoughts stray to the newly found princess. The girl had spirit. It was almost a shame she would never get the chance to rule. And he would enjoy breaking her when the time came. He would twist her irreparably, and then make her precious thief suffer for his insults. Such an act would no doubt destroy the morale of Corona's people – they all adored the little bitch. Forcing her to become their greatest enemy would do more to aid Gavvyn's victory than any army possibly could.

Dorian's eyes returned to focus on the parchment as dark letters began to appear in his father's hand. The instructions were simple, and well received. Everything would go according to plan – one way or another.

_You have ten days. Begin._


	9. The Dance Begins

Breakfast was anything but comfortable. Rapunzel fidgeted with the napkin in her lap and pushed the eggs around her plate with her fork, trying desperately not to look up and meet the dark, glittering gaze that had been fixed on her since she walked into the room. Even with Eugene's hand resting comfortingly on her thigh beneath the table, the princess was having trouble not shouting at the man across the table from her.

Her parents seemed not to notice. The Captain of the Guard had been invited to breakfast, as he had a tendency to do once every week at the King's request, and the three full-fledged adults were lost in their own conversations. Something about the Captain's daughter being sick with the flu – whatever that was. It didn't sound very pleasant.

The conversation suddenly turned to Eugene as the Queen started to ask what their plans for the day were.

"I was thinking I might steal your daughter away for the day and explore the city for a while. It's been a while since we've been down there, and I thought it might do Blondie some good to get some fresh air." The former thief smiled down at his princess as he spoke, doing his best to cheer her up a bit. If he were to be honest, the pair of ravenous eyes boring into his girlfriend was beginning to put him on edge. The prince looked a little too hungry for Eugene's taste. And the untouched plate of food before him spoke all too well of what the man was hungry _for_.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. I think the two of you could use a break from your lessons for the day." The Queen opened her mouth to say more when a smooth voice cut her off.

"I wonder if I could join you on your little expedition. I would so love to see the rest of the city. I only got a small taste when I was riding in. And I imagine there isn't a better guide to be had than our resident former thief. You don't mind, do you, Fisshibby?" The glittering gaze slowly focused on Eugene's blazing brown eyes. The two sides of him – man and rogue – warred for control, but with his last scolding for a flippant tongue fresh in his mind, he managed to smile and nod, though his eyes continued to glare darkly at the invader.

"We'd be happy to show your highness around for part of the day. We wouldn't want to keep you from important business here in the castle, though. We'll be sure to return you here before you get too tired to do… whatever it is that you actually do." Flynn couldn't help putting just a little bit of his usual sarcastic tone into his reply. There was no way he was spending his day with Rapunzel showing this pompous ass around the city. No possible way.

Before the prince could respond – which, judging by his smug expression, he was sure to do – the Queen finally got a word in.

"Would you mind running a small errand for me while you're out? It won't take long." She simply smiled, but there was a slight, nearly imperceptible glint of mischief in her eyes that caught Eugene's attention.

"Of course, your Majesty. Shall I meet you in the courtyard after breakfast to discuss it?"

"If you'd like, Eugene. Take your time, though. There's no hurry. It's just a letter I'd like delivered to an old friend. I'd send a servant to do it, but since you're going there anyway…" She shrugged.

Dorian was back to staring at Rapunzel, but that didn't stop him from opening his mouth to make a remark. "Letters to peasants, your Majesty? I've always felt class separation to be so important. One wouldn't want to give the impression of favoritism, would we?"

Rapunzel's emerald eyes snapped up in reply, her tongue unable to be still. The insult to her and Eugene was perfectly clear. "Luckily for Corona, you're not in charge here. I'd remind you to keep your opinions to yourself, Dorian, before I'm forced to take your presence as an insult. I'd hate to regret letting you come along on our excursion; and I'm sure I wouldn't feel the need repeat the experience in any measure for the duration of your stay here." She flashed a tight smile to her parents and to Eugene, all of whom were attempting to keep their pleasure at her outburst somewhat contained, and excused herself to change clothes. As she stood from her chair, she gently kissed Eugene on the cheek and told him she'd meet him in the courtyard when she was ready.

The Captain of the Guard was grinning openly, knowing without a doubt that the young princess had found the right family. He didn't think the King or the Queen would have said it much differently.

Eugene, however, was perturbed. Not because he'd been insulted by a prince or defended by a princess – although in normal circumstances that would have been enough to get him to realize how incredibly surreal his position was – but because Prince Dorian, rather than even attempting to feign shock or humility, looked like he'd just gotten the best Christmas present he could hope for.

~ ҉ ~

Eugene met the Queen in one of the side corridors near the courtyard, hoping to avoid prying eyes. He had the sneaking suspicion that this wasn't entirely about a letter, and told the woman as much.

She laughed and shook her head. "I should have known I wouldn't be able to hide everything from you for long, but I thought I might have a little bit more time before I'd have to tell you."

All the response she received was a raised eyebrow.

"Just give me a few days to gather more information. I promise I'll tell you. Soon. And I'm going to need your help." Her face was bright and open, but her eyes were anything but lighthearted. "Give this to Kaya in the city. You should receive a reply by the end of your time out."

"The witchwoman?" Eugene was genuinely confused. No one took that woman seriously, and it only took one look at her to know why. She was completely nuts. The thief had seen her several times over the years, and never once had felt the need to get any closer.

"You know where to find her then?" It was clear there wasn't going to be any additional explanation. At this point in time, he was only the messenger. It was funny. Eugene had never really pegged the Queen as one to get involved with subterfuge – or to have contacts from the darker side of the tracks.

"Yes. I'll get it to her." Eugene looked across the courtyard to see Rapunzel, dressed in a simple wool dress in a deep violet color, marching down the stairs. A perturbed frog was sitting on her shoulder, tail wrapped around a slim, ponderous finger as a flustered imperial prince, who was still in his velvet finery, chased her down the stairs. "If you'll excuse me, your Majesty. I believe I may have a fight to break up."

The Queen nodded and slipped him a sealed envelope, which he concealed in a pocket before striding to meet his princess and her pursuer. "Something going on here?"

"She insists on taking that _lizard_ with her in public," spat the prince.

"I don't see why it's any of your business what I take with me, let alone my oldest friend – who's a _chameleon,_ by the way." Rapunzel didn't even look at the man. She simply kept walking towards the front gate and twirling her finger in Pascal's tail.

"It's completely improper! A dog, maybe. Or a cat! Even a monkey, if you really wanted to. Something exotic and expensive to show off your social status. But a _lizard?_"

"Frog." Eugene corrected instinctively.

"_Chameleon._" A green glare was shot at both of the offending men, one of which the princess was waiting for a reply from.

"Look, Dorian – "

"That's _Prince_ Dorian, to you, Fuzzyhubbel."

"Fitzherbert," stuck in Rapunzel.

"The Princess can get away with calling me by my first name. But you are far below my station and _will_ refer to me by my rank, at the very least." Flynn was getting close to starting a war right then and there.

Luckily, he managed to avoid physical violence. "Okay, _look, your highness_. Rapunzel is taking Pascal – lizard, frog, chameleon, whatever. If you don't like it, you can stay here. Either way, you're going to stop complaining about the frog."

"Chameleon."

"Lizard."

"Nuance. You can go see the city without us – maybe the good Captain would be willing to take you. But I can assure you that if you antagonize the princess in any way one more time while we're out, you're trip is going to be over – prince or not. Got it?" Eugene wasn't entirely comfortable being this demanding of a prince – but Rapunzel was his girlfriend, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to stick up for her.

"Oh, I've got it, oh daring thief." The man's sneer almost destroyed Eugene's confidence. Almost. "But you can be sure this won't be the end of this conversation." Without another word, he pushed past the pair and strode towards the gate to the city. Eugene still had trouble shaking the feeling that the prince had gotten just what he'd wanted.

~ ҉ ~

Prince Dorian waited outside as Eugene and Rapunzel entered the witchwoman's shop. As crazy as the old woman was, people still visited her occasionally – mostly for tonics and potions to rid themselves of unwanted illnesses or pregnancies. Eugene, himself, had managed to steer clear of the place altogether, until now. Seeing the interior didn't do much to alter his perspective. The walls were covered floor to ceiling with some strange sort of glowing moss. Tables were placed haphazardly around the room, all filled to overflowing with various nicknacks and junk. One looked like it was covered in a pile of bones – another in a pile of animal skins. At least, Eugene hoped they were animal skins. Shelves were arranged between some of the tables, all filled with bottles and of every color and shape – some empty, some filled. The whole place smelled of dirt and rot. Eugene was beginning to rethink bringing Rapunzel inside with him.

The princess stood wide eyed in the entrance way, holding tightly to Eugene's sleeve. She noticed everything around her at once and yet not at all. Part of her felt an extreme sense of belonging to this place – as if she'd been waiting her whole life to stand in this room. The other parts all were screaming at her to turn around and run away as fast as she could. Curiosity won out, however, as she slowly released the fabric she'd been clinging to and wandered further into the shop, searching for something she couldn't name.

"You won't find it here," announced a dry, raspy voice from one of the darker corners of the shop. Rapunzel turned dazedly to face the owner of that voice, and somehow wasn't surprised to take in the sight of a crumpled old woman sitting in a rocking chair. White, wispy hair sprouted from her scalp in patches. She was hunched over, and every inch of her body was covered in colorful rags. It looked as if she had gone around stealing pieces of people's curtains and bedspreads and simply draped them around herself. But the most shocking part of the woman's appearance was her eyes. They were completely black – as if her pupils had simply expanded one day to fill the iris and then the whites.

Eugene had never seen the hag's eyes before; she usually wore dark glasses when she was outside – presumably to avoid the kinds of reactions she was currently receiving from the thief. All of his instincts told him to grab Rapunzel and run back into the comforting sunlight of the afternoon, even if that meant returning to the haughty prince who was waiting for them.

Rapunzel simply didn't react. In spite of the woman's appearance, there was nothing that felt wrong about her. In fact, she almost seemed familiar. "Won't find what?"

"What you're looking for. Kaya once had it here, for a short time. But it has since moved on to become better things."

The girl smiled. "What was it?"

The hag smiled back – toothless and altogether creepy, to Eugene's opinion. Rapunzel, however, appeared to feel differently. "Your past."

Realization dawned on her. "The flower?"

"Clever girl," the hag grinned, not unkindly. She seemed to be genuinely pleased at her guest. "You can feel it." Rapunzel nodded. "Your father once brought it to Kaya. Kaya did not have enough of the gift to know what to do with it at the time, but everything seems to have worked out alright in any case. Its part to play is not yet done."

"But the magic is gone. I cut my hair and it went away." The girl wandered over to sit cross-legged on the floor before the witch. Eugene stayed rooted to the spot.

The woman only smiled and shook her head, mirth twinkling in the eternal depths of her inky eyes, before turning that dark gaze to the messenger. "You have something for Kaya." It was a statement, not a question. Eugene wondered if he would be able to keep anything from her if he'd wanted to.

"No, you wouldn't. But you can give Kaya the letter if you want," she laughed, a harsh, dry sound that set Eugene's teeth on edge. Rapunzel turned around and smiled at him, all trace of fear wiped from her face. If anything, that just made him worry more.

"Eugene needn't be concerned for his princess," she informed him as he slowly handed over the Queen's envelope. "The Sun and Kaya be old friends. There would be much for us to talk about, were there time." Her crippled hands worked the seal free of the parchment. "Ah, Christine. Kaya always be willing to help. There never be reason to ask…"

Rapunzel and Eugene waited silently for the witchwoman to read her letter – albeit with very different degrees of patience. The princess sat contentedly on the floor, looking as if she'd found a long lost grandmother and was waiting for a story. The thief couldn't keep himself from fidgeting.

Without a word, the witch heaved herself off of her chair and shuffled to one of the shelves on the other side of the room. Her head barely came up to Eugene's waist. When she returned, she had a small bag clutched tightly in her hand. "Christine wants a telling. A telling she shall have." Her fingers began tracing a symbol in the dust at her feet.

Despite the woman's lack of pupils or irises, there was no doubt that her eyes were fixed on Rapunzels as she poured the contents of the bag onto the ground. Stones – all different sizes and with unique carvings on each – tumbled onto the symbol the woman had drawn as the three of them watched the pattern they formed. Frowning, Kaya gathered up the stones, being careful not to disturb the symbol, muttering to herself. "One."

She threw the stones again, and Eugene could have sworn each of them landed in the exact same place they had before. His skin began to crawl. The woman's frown deepened as she took the stones back into her hand and rattled them together. "Two."

The stones fell from her hand again. The pattern they made was the same. She sighed deeply and shook her head. "Three."

Rapunzel gazed up at her curiously. "What is it?"

"The Emperor will be here in ten days time. He brings an army greater than any that has ever been known. Gavvyn invades."

Eugene's heart fell. Corona was doomed.


End file.
